if you don't like the weather, wait a while...

...it will change! under any weather condition though, being in the mountains has always felt enriching. 


without a doubt, weather has given me pause--more accurately taken away any pausing--a fair number of times, but i would not trade those experiences for anything. i cut my east coast mountain-teeth in the mt washington valley where attention to weather gets frequent warnings with the ubiquitous 'stop' signs along trails leading above treeline. it didn't take too many trips up high before i fully understood the threat.




earlier in the week, when i read "what friday's extra-long lunar eclipse can tell us about the earth", i got pretty excited about going up high for a viewing. four MOC student had texted about a moonrise-sunset hike going above treeline to see the "'blood moon'". even if it wasn't going to be eclipsed, a full moon coming up over the horizon is always a treat. when you can see that in the east, turn around and see the sun setting in the west it's a double delight.

like all week, the weather was solidly forecast to be iffy at best and most likely stormy. sure enough, thunder clouds started rolling in around noon and we had a couple of heavy showers around five-ish. still in fast changing conditions, you never know when you are going to get a break. as i finished my 2nd piece of pizza it was still thundering in the distance. i texted olivia and asked if she was still going. she zipped back a "max and i are leaving now!" that motivated me into action. i packed my rain jacket and headed out the door.

we met and started hiking under a drippy grey sky, but there was always a chance we might see something up high. that chance got a little 'brighter' when we got onto the rock at treeline, at least in the west. you could see where the sun would drop into a fairly cloudless zone as it went down.

i got my fellow hikers to strike a pose with the opening in the clouds over their shoulders. max took a panoramic that shows the varying cloud cover well. it also shows a nice time elapse of olivia's left hand...

at the summit, we stayed to catch the sun's descent. the light kept changing and max repeated more than a couple times, "it just keeps getting better and better." the biggest break came close to the horizon, and the sun sent out vivid orangy-reddish rays. the moon in the east though, had no such breaks. the cloud bank was totally full and they were still lining up to deposit.

as we started down, we were all pleased with having made the effort and sorry that others had missed it. the sprinkles never increased enough to take the raincoat out of the pack. while the cloud cover made it darker than usual, we made it down without headlamps without too much trouble. 

as for the lunar eclipse thing, this trip was more than enough to get me dreaming about jan 21, when our part of the world will be able to see the next one--in total. i predict a great time atop 'our' local mountain. at a minimum, i'll have a chance for a shot like olivia took a couple years back...

until then--go outside and play! 

outside and playing...!

on my new scott addict gravel bike!!

i have been dreaming of a new ride for two years, ever since i helped dick drummond--drummonds custom cycles--with the shop roof after a major leak. one thing you may not know about me, i take forever to make a purchase decision, and then i second guess myself 'til the cows come home. if you live in vermont, that would be 'ke-ows'.

i finally dropped the visa on a carbon frame gravel bike--just in time to get out and condition a bit for a vt back road tour over in that great state next door. this week has been a bit drippy for riding, we have had 3 inches since monday. it is hard to stay off a new bike though and i have pedaling between the drops.

a test ride around a loop in the shaker woods, one we ski when there is snow, got me pretty excited. it was light and wicked agile. going up was, not easy, but doable--most of the way. going down, fast, was doable all the way, thanks a good deal to the disc brakes on front and back. i got back to the shop and robbie convinced me--mostly by just unboxing a frame and promising to build me up, a custom cycle. 

i gave them the weekend to do their own thing and two rainy days. wednesday morning as i rolled up on the ol' nishiki, robbie met me at the door, "we just finished!" while i swept the floor he swapped out my peddles and adjusted the seat to match what i had on the nishiki. i rolled out the door and headed back to the woods across the road. they had put on a bigger gear ratio and i definitely felt the difference. pedaling up steeper sections i started spinning out in the leaves and muddy spots. i walked less, but still got pretty sweaty going up. i wasn't thinking about the heat coming down, mostly because i had to work the brakes hard to keep from launching myself.

when i came out of the woods i went for a cool down ride on the road to test a smoother ride. it was wicked nice. the brifters were a new convenience for me and shifting is something i will be doing a lot more, micro adjusting for a steady cadence. a few miles out, a few miles back, the sweat and bit of rain had practically dried out of my shirt. we settled on the bill and i rode off back to school, and a photo op.

big thanks to robbie and dick at drummond's--they know bikes and get to know you as a biker, when you come in. their jokes about my upgrade--it only took 34 years--were spot on and made me feel loved rather than shamed. 

now, when it stops raining for longer than an hour or two, i am going back outside to play...!